Tragedy
by Jemlela
Summary: Tragedy strikes and hits a Ranger to close to home
1. Tragedy

Tommy has just came back to town after receiving his White Ranger Power

* * *

Kimberly is upstairs in her room, talking on the phone with Tommy.

"Kimberly!" Her mother Caroline yelled.

"Coming!" Kim yelled back and then turned her attention back to the phone.

"Tommy, I have to go. My mom is calling me. I will call you back." Kimberly said as she hung up the phone.

* * *

Kim headed downstairs she heard her mother screaming. Kim started running to see what was going on. She got to her living room and saw her mother absolutely panicked, but didn't understand why.

"Mom, what is wrong?" She asked concerned.

Caroline just kept screaming and Kimberly looked at her confused.

"Mom, why are you screaming?"

"Hello, to you too; Miss Kimmy."

Kimberly recognized the voice and hoped she was wrong. She turned toward the direction of the voice to see Goldar standing in her living room. She took a deep breath as she tried to figure out what it is she is supposed to do. Caroline looked at how calm her daughter is and was very confused by it.

"What do you want Goldar?" Kim asked annoyed.

"I came for you, now be a dear and come along quietly and peacefully." Goldar replied.

Kimberly looked at him with a disgust look on her face. "Not going to happen, so why don't you make like a tree and leave."

"Well Pink Ranger, it looks like I am going to have to be more persuasive." He answered.

Caroline looked at her daughter in shock, "You're a Power Ranger!"

"Now is not the time to get into that." Kim answered.

Kim watched as Goldar reached into a sack he had with him. He pulled out some gold dust. Kim's eyes widened but she knew better than to panic. She just tried to rack her brain to come up with a solution. She also knew that she was about to send her mother into an overbearing protective state, but she had to stand her ground; conserving what happened last time he used that dust on her.

"You may have been able to use that dust on me last week to capture me, but I will never give you the chance to use it again."

"You were captured, when? Why didn't you tell me about it?" Caroline asked.

"I will explain everything later. Please just trust me and relax." Kim answered her mother staying far away from Goldar as she could get while he has the dust in his hand.

Goldar started approaching Kim, she backed away from him. Caroline, afraid that this gold creature was going to hurt her daughter, intervened between the two. Ranger or not, Kimberly is still her little girl and it is her job as her mother to protect her child.

Goldar threw the dust and instead of it landing on Kimberly it landed on Caroline. Caroline became real dizzy as her head was spinning. Goldar left in a hurry after he realized he screwed up and the dust landed on the wrong person. Kimberly race over to her mother as she knew that her mother would pass out from the dust like she had. Before Kim could reach Caroline, Caroline passed out and went crashing through the glass coffee table in the middle of the room.

"MOM!!!"


	2. Guilt

Kimberly watched as her mother lost consciousness from the gold dust and went crashing into the glass coffee table. She instantly ran over to her and kneeled down beside her mother's head.

"Mom, please be okay! I will call for help!" Kim cried as she went to the phone.

"I need an ambulance to 2020 Angel Way; I have an unconscious woman after falling into a glass table!" Kim cried. After receiving confirmation that help was on the way, she went back to her mother's side. There was blood everywhere; Kim grabbed a blanket off the couch to put around her head that seemed to be bleeding the most.

"An ambulance is coming; you just have to hang in there." Kim cried holding her mother's hand. She noticed how cold her hand is.

"You are freezing; I am going to get you a blanket."

Kim grabbed the blanket from the other couch and covered her mother with it.

"There, you are going to be okay."

Kim heard the sirens as they got closer.

"They are here and they are going to take excellent care of you. I am going to go let them in. I will be right back."

Kim opened the front door and saw the ambulance there. She didn't even wait for the paramedics to get out of the ambulance before going back to her mother. She left the door wide open for the paramedics, but she didn't want to leave her mother alone for long.

The paramedics came in the house pushing a stretcher. One of the paramedics saw the girl crying over the unconscious mother. "Kimberly!" He called.

Kim looked up when she heard her name. She went running into the arms of the paramedic, while his partner attended to the woman. The partner shook her head after she assessed the situation.

"Kimberly I am sorry, but Caroline is dead. You knew that, didn't you?" The guy paramedics told her as he comforted her.

"You know the girl?" The partner asked.

"Yeah she is my very baby sister; I am going to take her home with me. She doesn't need to be here when they show up." The paramedic told his partner as he led Kimberly out of the house and across the street to his house.

* * *

Nobody was home. He led Kimberly into the house and took her upstairs to the guest room. She cried and cried in his arms.

"Kimberly, I am going to go down and get you a glass of water." He said.

He went downstairs, he saw the door opened. His brother came in.

"Jake, I thought you wouldn't be home until morning?" Jason asked.

"Jase, Kimberly is in the guestroom. Caroline is dead, she was dead when we got there." Jake replied.

Jason gasped, he has known Caroline his whole life; that is why he and Jake think of Kimberly as his baby sister, they grew up together. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, we got the call, and when I got there it looked as if Caroline fell through a glass table and Kimberly was leaning over her crying. I knew she shouldn't be there when the coroner shows up to take Caroline's body, so I brought it here. Go up and talk to her, she really needs a friend right now." Jake told his little brother as he proceeded to the Kitchen to get the water for Kimberly.

Jason headed to the guestroom and slowly opened the door. He saw Kimberly lying on the bed crying her heart out into the pillow. Jason felt his heart breaking for his little sister as he listened to her cry.

"Kimmy-cub, I just heard what happened. I am so sorry." Jason said as he sat down next to her rubbing her back.

Kim turned so that she was looking at him, "It is all my fault. I killed her."

"No Kimmy, you didn't; I'm sure it was just an accident."

"Yeah, an accident caused by Goldar." Kim cried.

"Goldar! What did he have to do with what happen?" Jason said in shock.

"He showed up the house, said I was to go with him. I refused of course; maybe I should have gone with him, then at least my mother would still be alive."

"Kim, you are not making any sense; how did Goldar lead to Caroline crashing through the glass table?"

"She knows who we are, or at least that I am a Ranger. She was there in the room and Goldar called me the pink Ranger right before he took out some of the gold dust. You know, that he used to try and make me Zedd's Queen last week. Goldar goes to throw the dust on me, but mom got between us and the dust landed on her. Goldar vanished and before I could get to her, she passed out and went right into the glass table."

"Oh Kim,"

"SO YOU SEE; IT IS ALL MY FAULT!" Kim screamed at the top of her lungs.

Jason was worried that his brother might have heard her screaming, he would figure out a way to cover for why she blames herself if Jake asks.

"No, Kimberly! You listen to me; it is not your fault. It is Goldar's fault and it is Zedd's fault, but not yours." Jason said in his best leader voice.

"My mom would still be alive if I wasn't a Ranger. If I wasn't Ranger, Goldar would not have been in the house trying to take me." Kim argued.

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do!"

"Kimberly, you are beautiful, attractive and have a heart of gold. Those things alone could make you a target for Zedd, even if you weren't a Ranger. Because you are, you have backup against up, you have people on your side and you know how to take care of yourself. You knew that you had to fake the spell from the dust until you could be rescued. You knew that people would come for you and that you couldn't take another dose of dust. If you hadn't been a Ranger and still captured by Goldar, you wouldn't know what to do."

Kim shook her head not believing what he saying.

"We all have qualities about us that make us targets for Rita and Zedd, even if we weren't Rangers. Tommy and I have a black belt in karate, if we weren't Rangers Rita would recruit us for her side. Actually she did, she turned Tommy evil because of his karate ability; he wasn't already a Ranger at that time. Billy is a genius, what Zedd and Rita could have done with someone like Billy if he wasn't a Ranger."

"What is your point?" Kim asked annoyed as she listened to her brother babble.

"My point Kimberly Anne Hart is that being Rangers protects us, the qualities that makes us Rangers are the same qualities that would have attracted the bad guys to us if we weren't Rangers. So don't blame yourself for what happened." Jason explained.

* * *

AN: Caroline may be dead but she is not gone. I was thinking of making her a guardian angel** or** an assistant to Zordon. Which one would you like to see?


	3. Aftermath

Jason sat on Kimberly's bed and let her cry in his arms. She cried herself until she couldn't cry anymore. After she was all done crying, she put her head on Jason's shoulder.

"Hey, Kimmy-cub, it is going to be okay. We will always be here for you." Jason told her rubbing her arms.

The door to the guest room burst open and Karen Scott ran into the room.

"Oh Kimberly, I just heard about Cari. I am so sorry." Karen said hugging the girl.

"What is going to happen to me now? I hardly ever see my dad; I doubt he would even want me." Kimberly cried.

"If I know Cari and I do, her will would have left explicit instructions on who would get custody of you. In the meantime you will stay here with us. Why don't you just lie down and get some rest. Morgan is making you a glass of warm milk; that will help you to sleep." Karen said as she got Kimberly to lie down and tuck her under the blankets.

Morgan walked into the room and handed the glass to Kimberly. She took it from him and smiled with tears in her eyes.

"Goodnight Kimberly, get some rest. Come on Jason say goodnight and you should also be getting to bed." Morgan said.

"Right dad. Goodnight, I will see you in the morning." Jason replied giving his baby sister a kiss on the forehead.

Kim watched her best friend and his parent leave and gave into the exhaustion and finally fell asleep.

* * *

Couple days later

Morgan and Karen are planning Caroline's funeral. They thought they would be the best ones to do it. A teenager has no business planning a funeral. Kimberly's friends have been trying to cheer her up. But their efforts fall on deaf error. Kimberly opened the door a day before her mother's funeral. On the other side of the door was Alicia Taylor.

"Oh Kim, I meant to come by sooner. I was devastated when I heard about Cari." Alicia said hugging the girl.

Kim gave her a half-smile. Karen came up behind Kimberly.

"Oh Alicia, come in. Would you like some tea?" Karen asked.

"No thank you Karen. I am here on official business. I brought Cari's will." Alicia replied.

_Flashback_

_Caroline Hart walked into Alicia's office._

"_Hey are you here on business or pleasure?" Alicia asked._

"_Business, I need to update my will. Make sure that Kimberly is well taken care of should something happen to me." Caroline replied._

"_What is going to happen to you? Why worry about this now?"_

"_If something were to happen to me tomorrow. I could walk out and get hit by a bus. I need to know she is taken care of and that what I would want for her is what will happen. If something were to happen to you, you could trust your husband to be a good parent to Zack's and the girls. I am divorced and my ex is not capable of that. I don't want her with him, other than his usual visitation rights." Caroline explained._

"_So who do you want to have custody of her?" Alicia asked._

"_Morgan and Karen Scott; they would be the best choice for her and she will be with Jason."_

"_Yeah, he has always been very protective of her. I agree with your choice. I will draw up the papers." Alicia agreed._

_Flashback ends_

"Caroline's will state that custody of Kimberly will be turned over to you and Morgan; that is of course if you are willing to take her." Alicia explained.

"Yes we will take her." Karen asked right away hoping that she got to keep her best friend's daughter with her.

"Kimberly's father will still have his visitation weekends with her. The rest of the time she will be here." Alicia finished.

* * *

Tommy and Jason stood by Kim's side at the funeral. She was absolutely devastated; she couldn't stand the idea that her mother is gone. They had always been so close; it was like a part of her heart had been ripped out.

"Kimberly lets go to the park." Jason offered.

"Sure, why not."

The Rangers all went to the park, but the one afternoon that should have been uneventful wasn't.

Zedd sent down a monster that looked like a grave.

"This is a reminder if where you all will be heading by the time I am through with you." The Monster announced.

"Zedd has never been known for his tactics, but this is beyond cruel considering we were just at a funeral." Jason said shaking his head.

"Well lets show Zedd that we are not that easily defeated. It's Morphin Time!" Tommy announced.

* * *

They fought and defeated the monster and went back to the Command Center.

"Man my muscles are sore. I hate that ligament stuff that Alpha puts rubs over our muscles." Zack stated.

"Yeah me too, but it is better than going home and facing my parents and trying to explain why I am so sore. How many times can I lie and say it happened while sparring, they will only buy that a certain amount of times. I have reached my limit in what they would believe." Tommy admitted.

"RANGERS GO AHEAD AND HEAD TO THE MEDIC BAY FOR TREATMENT." Zordon announced.

The Rangers grumbled as they headed to the medic bay to receive treatment for the injuries that they received during the battles. The Rangers walked into the bay and were shocked by what they saw.


	4. Assistant

"MOM!" Kimberly gasped. "I must be dreaming."

"If you're dreaming, then so are the rest of us. We see her two." Zack mentioned.

"You can't be real, you can't. I was there. It's not possible." Kimberly cried.

Tommy stepped up behind Kimberly rubbing her arms.

"IT IS TRUE KIMBERLY. CAROLINE IS STILL ALIVE, TO A POINT."

"So you can come home and we can be a family again; you and me." Kim smiled giving her mother a hug.

"No Kimberly, I can't. I am alive, as long as I stay here. I can only leave this building to go for a walk in the dessert. If I go back to Angel Grove, I will die." Caroline explained.

"But how? Why?"

"Zordon saved my life after I was taken by the coroner. His magic saved my life, but it also links me to the Command Center."

"I still don't understand."

"KIMBERLY, WHEN I WAS ALERTED TO GOLDAR BEING IN YOUR HOUSE THAT NIGHT. I OBSERVED YOUR MOTHER GETTING IN BETWEEN YOU AND THAT GOLD DUST. I ALSO SAW YOUR MOTHER CRASHING THROUGH THE GLASS TABLE; I MADE A DECISION TO SAVE HER LIFE. IF SHE WOULD COME AND WORK FOR ME. AS SHE STATES THE MAGIC USED TO SAVE HER DOES LINK HER TO THE CHAMBERS." Zordon explained.

"But why did you save her with your Eltarian magic?" Billy asked.

"BECAUSE KNOWING THAT HER DAUGHTER WAS A RANGER, THANKS TO GOLDAR, SHE INTERVENED TO PROTECT ONE OF MY RANGERS AND THAT INTERVENTION COST HER, HER LIFE."

"Ranger, or no Ranger; Kimberly is my daughter and I couldn't let that gold monster take her. Especially after she mentioned to him that she wasn't going to let him use that dust on her again. All that matter to me that night was my daughter's safety and it still is all that matters to me." Caroline told the rest of them.

"CAROLINE NEEDS SOMETHING TO DO SINCE SHE IS BOUNDED HERE AND SHE IS A REGISTERED NURSE. I THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE USEFUL IN LOOKING AFTER MY RANGERS AND THE INJURIES THAT THEY RECEIVE IN BATTLE." Zordon informed.

To this all the Rangers grunted, but maybe just maybe a register nurse could do a better job than a robot.

"So how bad is it?" Caroline asked the Rangers.

"Just some sore muscles and a few bruises." Billy replied when it looked like no one else was going to answer her.

The teens immediately went on the defensive, especially Jason and Kimberly.

"For the most part the Powers do protect us in battle, but the battles have a tendency to get very intensive. Considering what is thrown at us during a battle, we are very lucky to walk away from it with just a few bruises and sore muscles." Jason explained quickly to a woman he has known all his life.

"Alright then shall we get started?" Caroline asked picking up the bottle of ligament.

The Rangers groaned but decided to just get it over with.

"Bro, you are the leader; you can go first." Jason suggested to Tommy.

"I just became the leader, why don't you go first." Tommy argued back.

Caroline, Zordon and Alpha just smiled at the Rangers attempt to get out of it.

"Alright, let's get this over with." Tommy replied taking off his jacket revealing a white tank top and sat down on the examining table.

Caroline put on a pair of gloves and rubbed the ligament all over Tommy's shoulders. He then lifted up the back of his shirt so that she could put it on his back. Jason went next followed by Zack, Billy and Trini. Kimberly went last.

"RANGERS YOU SHOULD BE GETTING HOME, BEFORE PEOPLE START WONDERING ABOUT YOUR WHEREABOUTS." Zordon mentioned.

"Mom, I want to stay here with you." Kim said hugging her mother.

"I'm sorry Kimberly, you can't do that. You have to live in the real world and I have to live here. Kimberly, go back to Care-Bear and Morgan. Don't fight the adoption, accept it. Don't worry, you will still see me, whenever you come here and whenever you do the whole Ranger thing." Caroline replied.

"This is all my fault, you died because of me." Kimberly cried.

"No, it is **not **your fault. Even if I knew what the outcome would have been, there is nothing I would have changed. But like everything else that deals with the Ranger world, you have to keep me a secret. Out there in the real world, I am dead. You all have to keep it that way. Jason, go home and take your new sister with you." Caroline demanded.

Jason grabbed Kimberly's arm and she waved goodbye to her mother as Zordon teleported them out.

"Kimmy-cub, we need to go home." Jason told her when they arrived in the park.

Kim nodded sadly and followed Jason back to her new home, across the street from her old home.

* * *

Jason opened the door to their house. He was instantly met by his parents.

"Where have you two been? You should have been home hours ago!" Morgan yelled.

"We're sorry dad; Kim wasn't ready to come home after the funeral. So we were just hanging around the park." Jason admitted.

Kim looked down at the ground refusing to meet anyone in the eyes.

"It's okay, just next time you are going to be late, call so we won't worry." Morgan replied more calmly.

"Why don't you two go wash up for dinner. It will be ready in a few minutes. Oh and Kimberly we are having your favorite Raviolis." Karen said.

Kim looked up and gave a half-smile, "What kind?"

"Both meat and cheese. So why don't you go get ready for dinner." Karen replied giving her new daughter a hug.

* * *

Jason and Kimberly went upstairs to wash up. Jason let Kimberly have the bathroom first while he stood outside the door. After Jason took his turn to wash up, he stood with Kim in the hall.

"It just seems so weird. She is alive, but she is not. I can see her, but I can't." Kim whispered.

"You will see her there, as if you didn't spend enough time there already." Jason replied.

"What do you know about it?"

"I know that you were always there talking with Zordon. We all see Zordon as a surrogate father, but no one could care as much about him as you do. Probably because of that so-called relationship you have with your own father." Jason replied.

"Yeah, I suppose so. Even the weekends I'm at dads I still hardly see him. Some life right. I have a better relationship with our mentor then I do with my own father and my mother is now at the same place."

"True, but you will always have us and the rest of our friends and their parents too. You are not alone." Jason answered giving her a hug.


	5. Weekend

Thursday morning

Kimberly woke up in the guest room. Karen had been on her to officially move into the room, make it her own as it is her room from here on out and she is not just visitor for the weekend. She quickly got dressed and went downstairs to breakfast.

"Morning Kimberly!" The Scotts all called out in unison.

Kimberly blushed as she took her seat at the table and reached to grab a piece of toast from the basket in the middle of the table.

"Now, Kimberly; please tell me you are going to eat more than just one slice of toast." Morgan teased but in a stern voice to warn her that she had better grab something else.

Kim just nodded and dished up some eggs.

"Kimberly you do remember that after school today, you have to go to your father's house." Karen reminded her.

"I know, but can't I just stay here this weekend." Kimberly begged.

"I'm afraid not, your father still gets his visitation weekends with you. But don't worry; you will be back Monday when school lets out." Morgan told her.

"Kimberly is there a reason; you don't want to go to your dad's?" Karen asked.

"No, it is just that it is so soon after Mom's death; that I'm not ready to face him yet. I mean he didn't even come to the funeral, you would have thought that at least he would at least of come to the funeral to support his only child. But no, he didn't. I guess I don't mean enough to him."

"Kimberly, that isn't true. I am sure that Anthony wanted to be there for you, but couldn't make it." Jake said before looking at his watch. He got up from the table, "I will see you all tonight and Kimberly I will see you Monday night. Have fun this weekend."

"I think it time you two get to school. We will see you Monday night." Morgan said as he gave Kimberly a kiss on top of her head.

* * *

That night

Kimberly walks into her father's 2 story house. She often wondered why he needed such a big house, when it is only him here and she doesn't stay her often enough to count.

"Hey good, you're here." Anthony Hart said as he came down the stairs carrying a suitcase.

"Your leaving again." Kim commented sadly.

"Yes baby, I am. Something just came up and I have to go out of town."

"Oh, when will you be back?"

"I'll be back before you have to go back to the Scotts. There is food in the refrigerator and money in the envelope in the cupboard if you want to go to the mall. I have to go and catch my plane." Anthony said giving his daughter a kiss on the cheek. "Oh and remember, this is our secret."

Kimberly waved sadly as she watched her father leave. She went into the kitchen and opened up the refrigerator to get something for dinner. As she stared into the fully stocked refrigerator, she realized she didn't feel like eating. She opened up the pantry cupboard to see the money; he always leaves for her when he leaves her alone during her weekend with him. The envelope held 500 dollars in all twenties. Angry and frustrated she threw the envelope on the table and went to bed.

* * *

Command Center

Alpha, Zordon and Caroline watched the whole thing on the viewing globe from the time Kimberly opened the door to Anthony's house till the time she went to bed. Caroline was fuming with anger the way her ex treats their daughter.

"I knew Tony always seemed to have more important things to do with his time than spend it with his own daughter. But I never knew that he leaves her there alone for days at a time. She would be much better off if she was still with Care-Bear." Caroline complained.

"HE DOES LEAVE HER ALONE ALL THE TIME. I USUALLY WATCH HER WHILE SHE IS THERE JUST TO MAKE SURE SHE IS OKAY AND THAT RITA AND ZEDD DON'T ATTACK HER WHILE SHE IS THERE ALONE." Zordon told her.

"I'm glad that you do look after her, I just don't understand why she never told me." Caroline replied.

"SHE NEVER WANTED TO CAUSE ANYMORE TROULE BETWWEN YOU AND HIM."

"She is a child, a teenager. That isn't a decision for her to make. That is too much pressure to put on a child. Now that I know about it, I can't do anything about it because I am dead."

"CAROLINE, DO NOT WORRY. SHE WILL BE OKAY; YOU CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE ON HER."

* * *

Next morning

Kimberly got up, took a shower and left. She is actually glad to go to school. She got there 2 hours early and waited for her friends at the Youth Center.

"Hi Ernie!" Kim said coming up to the bar.

"Well hello Kimberly, your early aren't you."

Kim just shrugged.

"He left again huh? Did you even eat this morning?"

Kim shook her head.

"How about I make you an omelet?"

"Okay, thanks Ernie."

An hour and a half later, her friends come into the Youth Center to hang out before they have to actually go to class.

"Trini, you want to come over this weekend for a sleepover?" Kim asked hopefully.

"He left again, didn't he?" Jason asked.

"Yeah about 2 minutes after I arrive." Kim admitted.

"So I guess were doing the sleepover thing again this weekend." Tommy said.

"Yeah, let's see; whose house is it this time." Jason said as he stopped for a second to think. "Billy's house, and Billy you can tell your dad that you are the staying the weekend at Zack's house. So our bases are covered."

"We're just lucky they never check up on us." Tommy admitted.

"I have the device installed so if they do check up on us, it will be rerouted to the phone I bring with me to Kimberly's." Billy admitted.

"So our bases really are covered." Tommy said.

"Thanks guys." Kimberly said with a smile.

"Don't you know; we will do anything for you." Zack teased.


	6. Can't Stay Here

Everyone was sitting around the dining room table playing Monopoly. The game usually goes on forever but with 6 people playing, it isn't too hard for someone to go bankrupt. Zack was the first one to lose all his money when he landed on Boardwalk with 2 hotels owned by Kimberly.

"Fine, here I give." Zack said handing her all his money. "I am going to get something drink."

Jason took his turn as he was worried he would be the next one out of the game as he was running out of money. He was grateful when he landed on one of his properties. Zack came back with a beer he took out of the refrigerator.

"Hey guys look what I found." He replied holding up the beer.

"Zachary Taylor, you put that back right now!" Kimberly ordered. "My father doesn't know about you guys staying here with me, we don't want him to come back only to discover 1 of his beers missing."

"Oh come on Kimmy, it isn't like he is even going to notice." Zack whined.

"NO!" Kim screamed.

Zack looked to the guys for help.

"I am going to stay out of this." Billy replied.

"I have to agree with Kimberly; if we ever get caught drinking, we can kiss our social lives goodbye." Jason stated.

"My dad always told me that he would ground me till I was 18 if he ever caught me drinking. So I am going to have to decline." Tommy agreed.

"Man, you guys are no fun. Don't you ever get tired of being good all the time." Zack complained.

"Of course we get tired of it. But I am not going to risk getting grounded for 2 years just to have 1 night of fun."

"So Zack it is 5 to 1, put it back!" Kim ordered.

"Fine, fine, I'll put it back. I swear you guys are no fun." Zack whined as he went back into the kitchen to put away the beer.

_

* * *

_

DING-DONG

"I'll get it!" Kimberly announced.

"Not alone, your not." Tommy added getting up.

"Yes alone; it is probably a neighbor or something and you guys aren't supposed to be here." She replied as she left to answer the door. She opened the door with a smile that quickly faded when she saw who was on the other side. 2 cops stood there, one she recognized as Tommy's father.

"Is there a problem Officers?" She asked trying to stay calm knowing it is never good when cops show up at the door.

"Kimberly, where is your father?" Detective Michael Oliver asked.

"Out at the moment." Kimberly replied as she watched Detective Oliver whisper something to his partner and then the partner left.

"When will he be back?" Michael asked.

"Not for a while. Why is something wrong?"

"I do not want you staying here alone for the time being. So I will stay with you." Michael answered.

Kimberly didn't know what to think, she isn't alone in the house.

Tommy took his turn at the game and then it was Kimberly's turn and Tommy wondered why she hasn't come back yet, he headed out to the hallway.

"Hey Kimberly; it is your-" Tommy began and then he saw his father standing in the doorway. He stared at his father who didn't look happy and gulped. "Uh, Dad, what are you doing here?"

Kim got out of the way so that Michael could come into the house. She closed the door behind him.

"Lock it." Michael ordered Kimberly before turning to his son. "I could ask you the same thing. Funny, this doesn't look like Billy's house."

"Hey sis, what's up?" Jason asked coming out of the living room. "Um, hello Detective Oliver."

"Would someone please tell me what is going on here?" Michael yelled as he saw all who was there.

The teens all looked at each other but no one said anything.

"Kimberly, when is your father getting home?" Michael asked.

Kimberly hesitated answering him, but she knew that she better. "Monday morning, I think."

Michael couldn't understand what type of guy could leave his 15-year-old daughter alone for the entire weekend, especially with what has been going on in this neighborhood lately.

"Well you are not staying here. I will take everyone home; Kimberly, I will take you back to the Scotts."

"Detective Oliver, the custody agreement states that I have to stay here, until I leave for school Monday." Kimberly argued.

"I am not leaving you in this house alone; you will be coming with us." Michael ordered.

Kimberly tried to argue.

"NO! There had been several break-ins in this neighborhood. There was even a murder next door, it was a break-in that got interrupted and the owner is dead. My partner and I were going door to door warning everyone and asking them to keep an eye and ear out. I am not letting 6 teenagers stay here without an adult present. But then again you guys wouldn't be here if there was an adult present, would you?" Michael explained.

"Dad, Kimberly hates to stay here alone; so yes we come and stay here with her." Tommy tried to explain.

"How often does he go off and leave her here alone?"

"Ever since the divorce, about 3 years." Jason answered.

"This can't continue, surely you guys know that." Michael argued.

"What other choice do we have?" Kim asked.

"I don't know, but right now I am taking you guys home. So let's get going. Everyone out and by the car." Michael ordered.

The teens grabbed their things and went out to the car as they were ordered to do so.


	7. Going Home

The teens sat in silence in the back of Michael's car. Kimberly and Tommy were riding in the front seat with Kimberly sitting between Tommy and Michael. Michael dropped off each of the kids, walked them to the door and explained to their parents what had happened. Now he was down to his son, Jason and Kimberly. Michael pulled the car over before reaching the Scotts' house.

"You guys do understand that what you did is wrong." Michael asked.

No one answered him. They thought about pretending that they didn't hear the question, but figured that wouldn't be the best idea they ever came up with.

"Dad, we didn't have any other choice. We couldn't just let her stay in that house alone." Tommy finally answered.

"Oh, you guys had other choices. For 3 years, you have had other choices that you could have made instead. Especially you Jason. Do you have any idea what could have happened tonight of this burglar turned murderer had decided to break into Kimberly father's house and found 6 teenagers there alone. Well who knows what could have happened and I really don't want to find out, do you?"

"Okay, so now it probably isn't a good idea. But, we didn't know about the break-ins." Jason argued in their defense.

"It was NEVER a good idea. There are reasons that kids don't stay home alone for an entire weekend. So many things can happen."

"We are not kids!" Kimberly argued.

"You were when this whole thing started. Kimberly, you were what 12, when he started leaving you alone for the weekend. Besides being 15 and 16 doesn't make you guys adults; which is why you s have adults to look out for your best interest." Michael replied still trying to get them to see that they were doing is wrong. But, to him it seemed as though the teens weren't comprehending it.

"So what should we have done instead?" Jason asked.

"Told your parents, her mother, anyone."

"But that would have led to a lot of trouble." Kimberly defended.

"The only trouble it would have caused it that Anthony's visitation rights would have been revoked, as they should be."

"Will it, are they. I mean will dad's visitation rights be taken away now?" Kim asked quietly.

"Probably, as Child Services has to be notified. But don't worry about it." Michael told her as he started the car to finish dropping the kids off. "Well here we are. Thomas stay, you two let's go." Michael ordered.

Jason and Kimberly got out of the car as Michael walked them to the door. Jake answered the door and was surprise to see Kimberly and Jason being escorted in by a cop.

"Are your parents home?" Michael asked Jake.

"No, they went to the movies since Kimberly was at her dads and Jason was at a sleepover at Billy's. Speaking of which, why are you two here?" Jake asked.

Kim and Jason just looked at each other but said nothing. Michael told Jake everything he knew about the situation then he left the house to go home and deal with his own son.

* * *

Jake stared at the teens very upset at the situation they were in and so soon after losing Caroline.

"Jake, please don't tell Mom and Dad." Jason begged.

"Oh, I'm not telling them." Jake began and the teens breathed a sigh of relief. "You are." Jake continued.

"Jake-" Kimberly began.

"No, there is no way out of it. You guys are telling them. What on earth were you thinking? Staying in the house alone for the whole weekend."

"Jake, I don't see why you are getting so upset. Mom and Dad have left us home alone on occasions."

"Not when you were 12. Not even when I was 12. I was 16 when Mom and Dad started going away over night. Even then Caroline was across the street. I swear the first time they left us overnight mom was calling every hour on the hour. It was so annoying. For now, go to bed and we will deal with it tomorrow. I'm going to make sure you two tell them every detail Detective Oliver told me.

Jason and Kimberly walked up the stairs in silence knowing that there really was a point in arguing.

"We are so dead." Jason told Kimberly.

"I don't get it. We are Rangers, why does everyone keep treating us like children." Kimberly replied.

"I don't know, but I hate it. It is a good thing they don't know what it is that we do; because if they ever did it would make this situation seem like a walk in the park."

* * *

Monday morning

The teens gathered were hanging out in the Youth Center. They hadn't seen each other since Friday night when Michael dropped them home.

"Man, am I glad it is Monday and we have to school." Zack said as soon as his friends walked in the door.

"It went that bad?" Kimberly asked.

"I am grounded for 2 weeks and no sleepovers for a month." Zack responded.

Billy, Trini and Tommy nodded their head as to say they received a similar punishment.

"Well, were grounded for 2 weeks; but no sleepovers for 6 months."

"I have to say my mom was extremely angry. I tried to tell her I was only helping a friend, but she said that while I was only trying to help, we never did what was best for Kimberly and that would have been to have told back when this whole thing first started. Instead for 3 years we all were lying about it."

"Does it seem that all we ever do now is lie? We lied about this, we have to lie about well _you know_. Sometimes, I think my dad knows I'm lying to him and the look of hurt or disappoint in his eyes is so heartbreaking." Billy said sadly and bit frustrated.

"We all get tired of lying, but there is nothing else we could about it. We were sworn to secrecy and that is the way it has to stay." Tommy said in his best leader voice.

* * *

AN: I know in a few of my other stories the Rangers parents have found out that they were Rangers either directly or indirectly. The parents aren't going to find out in this one.


End file.
